In pregnancy, corticotropin-releasing-factor in maternal blood and amniotic fluid correlates with the gestational age.

Immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing factor (IR-CRF) was measured in maternal plasma and amniotic fluid. Significant correlations between both IR-CRF levels in maternal plasma (p less than 0.001, n = 82, r = 0.458) and IR-CRF levels in amniotic fluid (p less than 0.001, n = 81, r = 0.424) and the gestational age were seen. We conclude that CRF may regulate the ACTH cortisol axis in the placenta-fetus unit.